Searches OneSearch, which includes Georgetown and Consortium holdings, many of the Georgetown databases, and a variety of other resources. It includes books, journal and newspaper articles, encyclopedias, images and media, and primary sources.

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Searches OneSearch, which includes Georgetown and Consortium holdings, many of the Georgetown databases, and a variety of other resources. It includes books, journal and newspaper articles, encyclopedias, images and media, and primary sources.

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Evaluating Internet Resources

Unlike similar information found in newspapers or television broadcasts, information available on the Internet is not regulated for quality or accuracy; therefore, it is particularly important for the individual Internet user to evaluate the resource or information. Keep in mind that almost anyone can publish anything they wish on the Web. It is often difficult to determine authorship of Web sources, and even if the author is listed, he or she may not always represent him or herself honestly, or he or she may represent opinions as fact. The responsibility is on the user to evaluate resources effectively. Remember to evaluate Wikipedia articles too; Evaluating Wikipedia gives some tips.

Ask yourself these questions before using resources from the World Wide Web:

Author

Is the name of the author/creator on the page?

Are his/her credentials listed (occupation, years of experience, position or education)?

Is the author qualified to write on the given topic? Why?

Is there contact information, such as an email address, somewhere on the page?

Is there a link to a homepage?

If there is a link to a homepage, is it for an individual or for an organization?

If the author is with an organization, does it appear to support or sponsor the page?

What does the domain name/URL reveal about the source of the information, if anything?

If the owner is not identified, what can you tell about the origin of the site from the address?

Note: To find relevant information about the author, check personal homepages on the Web, campus directory entries and information retrieved through search engines. Also check print sources in the Library Reference area; Who's Who in America, Biography Index, and other biographical sources can be used to determine the author's credentials.

Purpose

Knowing the motive behind the page's creation can help you judge its content.

Who is the intended audience?

Scholarly audience or experts?

General public or novices?

If not stated, what do you think is the purpose of the site? Is the purpose to:

Inform or Teach?

Explain or Enlighten?

Persuade?

Sell a Product?

Objectivity

Is the information covered fact, opinion, or propaganda?

Is the author's point-of-view objective and impartial?

Is the language free of emotion-rousing words and bias?

Is the author affiliated with an organization?

Does the author's affiliation with an institution or organization appear to bias the information?

Does the content of the page have the official approval of the institution, organization, or company?

Accuracy

Are the sources for factual information clearly listed so that the information can be verified?

Is it clear who has the ultimate responsibility for the accuracy of the content of the material?

Can you verify any of the information in independent sources or from your own knowledge?

Has the information been reviewed or refereed?

Is the information free of grammatical, spelling, or typographical errors?

Reliability and Credibility

Why should anyone believe information from this site?

Does the information appear to be valid and well-researched, or is it unsupported by evidence?

Are quotes and other strong assertions backed by sources that you could check through other means?